It's Not Even Christmas Yet
by Old Russian Lady
Summary: Lorna and Nicky come home for the Holidays and have a special present for Red!
1. Chapter 1

"Ok, 3 glasses, 3 plates, 3 sets of silver ware, 3 napkins." Red paused, thinking about what was going on. "3 together again." She smiled to herself a gave a small laugh. She was so excited for her girls to be coming to have a pre-Christmas dinner with her.

She hadn't seen Lorna in a while, almost 6 months, although they talked at least once a week on the phone.

Red hadn't seen Nicky in a very long time, almost 6 months, although they talked every day on the phone.

Alright, so she still had her favorite girl even outside of that horrible prison. But she had to start hiding that favoritism because Nicky and Lorna were engaged! Red had jumped for joy when she received the call getting the news that would make her the happiest she'd ever been.

Interrupting this trip down memory lane, was 2 hard knocks on the door and she knew who it was.

"Ma! We're home!" Nicky busted through the door without waiting for Red to open it.

"She called this place home." Red whispered to herself. Red was so sentimental still with things like that when they came from Nicky.

"In here!" Red called out, still in the dining room as she could smell Lorna's perfume coming down the hall.

"How are you, honey?" Red asked Lorna as she kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly.

"I'm doing as great as I could be doing." Lorna held up her hand with her ring on her finger in Red's face, showing her for the first time the beautiful diamond Nicky had been sweet enough to buy for her.

"Oh, my. It's beautiful! It's the princess cut, just like you always used to talk about! I'm so happy for you, honey, congratulations." Red hugged her again, both smiling from ear to ear.

Nicky watched as the only two people Nicky loved enough to die for were standing right in front of her, exchange smiles and squeals of excitement. It warmed her heart in a way she couldn't put into words.

It took everything she had to not clear her throat so that Red's attention would be focused on her, they still hadn't said hello to each other and it had been months! Nicky was working on her control for her desire for attention. But it was hard. It was something she needed from Red, she couldn't live without her smile or love.

Relieved the wait was over, Red turned her body to face Nicky and for the first time in months they made eye contact. They both took a fraction of a step toward each other and then both stopped dead in their tracks hesitating, for what they didn't know.

They just stared at each other. 'When the blue meets the brown the world can rest' was something Nicky used to say in prison when she needed Red. It was an unspoken understanding between the two of them that they only needed to make eye contact to know that one of them needed to talk or simply needed the other.

Not being able to stay away longer, Red opened her arms as far as they could and Nicky all but ran into them.

"It's good to see you, Nicky." Red whispered in her ear.

"I'm glad to see you too, Ma. I've missed you." Nicky responded.

"I've missed you more, believe me."

Their hug lasted for a while but eventually broke when Red suggested that they better eat.

"Oh, but hang on a second. We have something for you." Nicky smiled, looking at Lorna.

"For me?" Red seemed surprised.

"Yeah, stay here." Nicky took Lorna by the hand and went back to the living room.

Red was in the dining room by herself for all of two seconds after they were gone before calling out, "Hurry up, you two, aren't you hungry?"

"Maybe it's best if you come in here?" Lorna called back.

"Ok, are you ready?" Red wondered.

"Yes." Nicky and Lorna said at the same time.

Red peeked slowly around the corner both excited and nervous for what gift these two had in mind for her. She didn't remember asking for anything so no matter what this was a true surprise.

Red was walking into the living room trying to keep the smile on her face when she realized it was just Lorna and Nicky standing there in the middle of the living room.

"What is-"

"Sit down, Ma." Nicky suggested, still standing next to Lorna. Lorna had her hands behind her back.

"We figured, the best time was in person. So…well..just..here…" Nicky stumbled not really knowing how to word it and she put her hand behind Lorna's back, grabbing something.

Red tried to lean so she could see behind them but stopped when she saw what they had behind their backs. Red gasped and out her hands over her mouth.

A little human wrapped in a blue blanket with teddy bears on it sat in a light green and gray baby carrier.

Without being able to fully comprehend anything, Red's eyes instantly became pools, then waterfalls.

Red forgot to breath for she didn't know how long. She was completely consumed by happiness and joy and bliss and all of those good feelings.

Red looked up at Lorna who had teared up when she saw Red tear up. Red looked at Nicky who had tears threating to fall at the sight of her mother so happy.

"Give him to me." Red said in the gentlest and most heartfelt tone that Nicky had ever heard her speak, holding out her hands the way a kid would reach for a beloved stuffed animal that meant the world to them.

Nicky reached into the carrier and gently put her hands under his little arms and lifted him up, immediately putting the other hand under his bottom and supporting his head against her shoulder.

Red was tempted to ask who taught Nicky how to hold a baby but thought she'd better ask that at another time because Nicky was handing her…her grandchild…the emotion that came with this thought was a tsunami that engulfed Red's heart and she never wanted it to cease.

Nicky placed the child in Red's arms and Red was in heaven. Her heart swelled like she didn't know it could, never thought it would.

"He's beautiful…" Red trailed off as the little baby boy snuggled his cheek against Red's open palm as if they were two perfect puzzle pieces completing each other's happiness.

Lorna stepped closer to Nicky and wrapped her arm around Nicky's arm, resting her head on Nicky's shoulder, she sighed in contempt.

He yawned at Red's warmth as she brushed her thumb over his little cheek.

"What's his name?" She asked, only just realizing she had no idea what her little joy's name was.

"His name is Nicholas." Lorna smiled.

"But I call him Nick." Nicky chimed in quickly.

"I'll call him Nicky." Red said without missing a beat and without even realizing what she was saying.

Lorna lifted her head and looked up into her future wife's eyes. "She's going to call him Nicky, she said." Lorna wanted to reiterate this because Nicky seemed to have had a blank expression since Red whispered what she will call her grandson.

"Yeah, that's me." Nicky whispered so softly that she didn't know if Lorna heard her.

Nicky thought that this could be Red having Nicky from birth, like she always said she wished she could've. Now her mother's got Nicky from birth, and she couldn't be happier. She began to allow her tears to fall as she realized how much love Red was going to give her son. How much protection he will be provided from now until her mother stops breathing. How spoiled he will be until her mother can't move anymore. Just like Red always said she wanted to do for Nicky. Nicky's son was the luckiest person in the world to have Red as a grandma.

"He cant be more than a couple of months?" Red spoke after a couple of minutes.

"Four months." Lorna beamed.

"And you had him, went through the whole pregnancy and didn't even mention it?" Red spoke to Lorna and couldn't help but feel a little hurt by this. She would've loved to have been a part of decorating the nursery and shopping for little clothes and dozens and dozens of diapers.

"We wanted to surprise you and honestly didn't have a good time to do it." Lorna spoke honeslty.

"This is the kind of thing you make time for to tell your mother." Red, looking back and forth between Lorna and Nicky, spoke as serious as she had been in a while with these two.

They two of them were silent. But offered small smiles to Red, who seemed to only be half bothered by it and by the time she turned her attention back to her little one, wasn't bothered by it at all.

After about a half hour of Red making faces and silly noises at baby Nicky, and Lorna and Nicky chit chatting about anything and everything, Lorna said that she ought to change Nicholas's diaper and put him down for a nap. Red, reluctantly, gave the baby back to Lorna who took him out of the living room to the guest room, leaving Nicky and Red alone for the first time in months.

"Your son is my world, Nicky, you know that?" Red said, patting the spot on the couch next to her gesturing for Nicky to come to the other side of the living room and sit with her. Complying, Nicky got up and sat down next to her mother who she has longed for for quite some time now.

"And you are my heart, sweet girl." Red placed a heartfelt kiss to Nicky's head. "I've missed you terribly."

Nicky's heart swelled at the warmth and love Red was giving her. It was one of Nicky's favorite drugs and she hasn't had it for too long.

Some silent moments passed.

"Why are you so quiet, honey?" Red asked, bringing a hand up to Nicky's head to stroke her hair.

"Seeing you with Nick. How quickly you said you'll call him Nicky, it's just.."

"My girl, have I offended you?" Red's concern instantly evident in her mothering voice.

"No, not at all. It's just.. You've always told me that you wanted to have me since I was little so I could be raised with the love and attention I deserved."

"Deserve." Red corrected.

"When you looked at him and named him, it just seemed so natural and so fitting. My heart was lost for words at how much love is flowing through it for you two as a sort of A-Team, ya know, Ma?"

Red chuckled a bit

"Like partners in crime." Nicky simply stated.

"He won't go near crime, that I promise you. Not as long as I'm around." Red said, understanding the joke but deciding, like she usually does, to make it a serious 'life moment' Nicky had dubbed them years ago.

"That's why he is so lucky, Ma." Nicky turned so her body was facing Red's and leaned on her and hugged her close. "That's why I'm so lucky."

A moment of a silent tight embrace passed between. They were comfortable with silence and being close to each other like this, something they both needed to stay alive.

"I don't want you staying away for me for that long again, Nicky." Red whispered in her ear, kissing her temple.

"I love you too, Mommy." Nicky relaxed further, almost comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"This has been the best Christmas I've ever had." Nicky mumbled.

"Indeed it has. And it's not even Christmas yet, we've still got another week. Just you wait, my sweet girl."


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, we better get going." Lorna confessed, standing up after a wonderful breakfast that Red had made for her and Nicky and their new son, Nicholas, or as Red called him "My Nicky."

"Going? Where are you going?" Red asked confused, standing uo as well beginning to clear the table.

"I told my parents we would be at their house around 2 this afternoon." Lorna confessed, sort of quietly like she was ashamed of keeping this a secret.

"You're leaving? But it's two days before Christmas." Red was so caught off by this unexpected news that her lip trembled and her heartbreak could be heard in her voice.

"No." Nicky said simply but quietly in an effort to calm her mother. It was the first word she had spoken all morning. She knew Lorna had promised her parents and she also didn't tell Red about it. The pit in her stomach was consuming her in the worst way.

"Nicky? What do you mean 'no'?" Lorna questioned, turning towards her future wife. "Nicky?" Lorna repeated impatiently when Nicky didn't say anything.

"Let's talk outside for a minute." Nicky said quietly, grabbing a pack of cigarettes out of Lorna's purse that was sitting on the counter.

"I thought you quit those?" Red mumbled in a way like she was trying to distract herself from what she was just told.

Nicky put a finger to her own lips at Red. It was not in a rude way or done with any attitude. It was more like a 'It's ok, I'll explain later, don't worry about it' type of shush. With that same finger, Nicky pointed to her son who was sitting in a high chair at the table and pointed at Red, as if to say "watch him". As if she knew, Red nodded her head and watched Nicky follow Lorna out the front door and watched it close behind them.

"What the fuck you talkin about 'no'?' Lorna demanded.

"Please, don't speak to me like that, we've talked about it before." Nicky still quiet as ever she was.

"Whatever. Why you telling Red no when I say we are going to my parent's house?" questioned Lorna, getting angry.

"Because I don't think we should." Nicky confessed.

"Why didn't you talk to me about this before? Why didn't you tell her days ago, when we got here we weren't staying until Christmas day?"

"I just, didn't realize how much I missed her until I saw her. I knew it was gonna break her heart no matter when I told her." Nicky trailed off, thinking about her mother just on the other side of the front door.

"So, what? You sayin you want to stay? And fuck my family, huh? Is that what you're saying? What about my parents, huh? You need to learn to let Red go every once in a while." Lorna's voice was raising with each word she spoke.

In the kitchen, Red's head looked up from feeding baby Nicky some Cheerios. She heard her name and knew it was Lorna. They were fighting and she heard "You need to learn to let Red go…" Red sighed, "I'll have to have a talk with your Mommy Nicky." She said to her 4 month old grandson.

Back utside, Nicky was furious at this point, she couldn't take. "Red is my parents. She is my mother and my father! I didn't grow up as privileged as you with two parents who stayed married all their life who love each other and love you more than that! Red is all I've got. So forgive me if I want to be with her on Christmas!"

"Whatever." Was Lorna's response to all of that that Nicky just said.

"We can't just leave her here. By herself for Christmas? That's our mother you're talking about." Nicky said, going back to a quiet voice thinking about how hurt Red was when Lorna said they were leaving.

"No, Nicky." Lorna started with tears in her eyes, "That's your mother. So, if you want, then stay with her. I'm leaving to see my family."

Lorna turned on her heel to the door and went inside.

"Lorna, what happened? You're leaving? Is Nicky going with you?" Red asked each question, following Lorna into the guest bedroom watching as Lorna shoved her things into a suitcase. "Why don't you invite your parents here? We have enough room." Red's heart was breaking, what was happening to her family?

"I'm sorry, Red. I can't." Lorna said, holding back tears as she finished packing. She stormed out of the room back to the kitchen to Nicholas. Red looked around the room, Nicky must've still been outside. Was she ok?

"Oh, leave him, please." Red pleaded when she saw Lorna pick up Nicholas out of his high chair.

"My parents haven't seen him yet either." Lorna said, still holding back her tears.

"Oh." Red whispered, trying to hide her disappointment and trying to show her understanding.

"I'm really sorry, this isn't how it was supposed to go. Nicky told me she'd tell you when we got here that we weren't staying until Christmas. Guess she never did." Lorna said almost sarcastically.

"Don't you blame this on her." Red said in a voice that signaled to Lorna it was time to leave before things escalated. Lorna recognized that voice. That was the momma bear voice Red had used to everyone who had threatened or would be a potential threat in the prison to her Nicky and all the inmates learned it was a voice to fear, Lorna included.

"I'm sorry, Red." Lorna hesitated but kissed Red on the cheek and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Red called out just before Lorna walked through the front door.

Red leaned down and kissed baby Nicky on the head and whispered "I love you."

And just like that Lorna was out the door.

Red stood in the kitchen, in disbelief of what just happened. She looked around for that brown curly hair that she always looked for when she needed someone to talk to, but realized she must still be outside. She headed for the door and was happy to see her girl still there.

Red walked over to Nicky and put one hand on her cheek and encouraged her face upward so that she would look her in the eye.

"Are you okay?" Red asked concerned as ever, being Nicky's mother.

Nicky took drag of the cigarette she had in her hand.

"That's a no." Red sighed, sitting down in the chair next to Nicky's.

"What happened, sweetheart?" Red managed after some silent moments had passed.

Nicky took another drag as an answer.

"Ok. Do you want me to leave you alone?" Red knew she would get a real answer with this one.

She was wrong, it was another drag. This one a long one.

"Alright, Nicky. But I know you, we can talk later." Red got up to leave and walked past Nicky when she felt a tug on her sleeve. Red looked down to see Nicky looking deep into her eyes. It was a look of desperation. Red leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Ok, my girl." Red knowing exactly what her daughter wanted without saying it, sat back down next to her.

They were silent for two hours.

Nicky was the first to speak. "3 weeks ago I bought a pack of cigarettes because I needed something and couldn't help it. It took everything I had not to find some heroin or even weed for that matter."

Red wondered what this had to do with anything at first but then realized she had asked Nicky about the cigarettes earlier.

"Oh. Why didn't you call me?" Red had turned in her hair so that she was facing Nicky, who was still facing straight.

"You didn't answer. I called twice." Nicky admitted.

"I'm proud of you."

Nicky shrugged.

"And I'm sorry." It was a genuine apology.

"For what?" Nicky still wouldn't look at her.

"For only using cigarettes when you could've went back down that path. You had that choice is you did good, Nicky."

"Thanks. But I meant why are you sorry?" Nicky knew her mother. That tone had more to it than being sorry for not answering the phone 3 weeks ago.

"I heard some of what Lorna was telling you."

"Oh, Jesus." Nicky sighed and leaned back further in her chair. "What did you hear?"

"That you need to learn to let me go." Red mumbled, eyes watering at the possibility.

"Yeah." Nicky whispered so quietly that she almost hoped Red didn't hear.

"Yeah?" Red asked loudly, clearly hearing what Nicky said. "You want to leave me? Not talk to me? Not see me? Let me go? Nicky…"

Nicky started to cry, a hard sob. A well overdue sob.

"No…" was all she could manage to get out.

Red's immediate reaction was to comfort her girl and tell her that things will work out for the best despite what had just come out of Nicky's mouth. Was it unfair to feel this way? Wanting to comfort the very person who hurt you? Red didn't know. But what she did know is that Nicky was her daughter no matter what happened.

"Come." Red stood up and reached out for Nicky's hand which was taken all to willingly as if she had been waiting for it.

Red led her inside to the living room and sat her and herself down on the couch. Without any encouragement, Nicky situated herself in between Red's legs, her back to her mother's chest, and leaned back against her. Red's head rested on her girl's shoulder and one hand came up to stroke her hair as was their comfortable habit.

"You missed this." Red spoke after a couple of silent moments between the two. It was not a question, just an observation. "I could tell you needed me the moment you walked in this house a couple of days ago. Why didn't you talk to me earlier, honey?"

"Lorna." Red could've swore Nicky shivered when she said her name.

"What happened? Tell me." Red was so gentle in her words. To someone else, she could've been a completely different person. But Nicky, that was her mother; full of love for her and rage for others, although occasionally directed at her.

"She's getting angry that all I want to do is spend time with you when she has a family too."

"Before we go any further with this, I need you to settle my uneasy heart. Are you going to let me go? Stop talking to me? Stop seeing me? Stop-"

"Mommy, stop." The second Nicky called her mommy she knew she was safe. "I would rather die then do those things, and you know that. Be confident in the fact that I am your daughter and you are my mother and I will love you until the end of time just like you love me."

Nicky's words made Red cry of relief and love. She kissed her head, many little ones and one long one.

"You've grown up so much, little girl." Red's voice was shaky with emotion. "I can see myself saying those very words to you a couple of years ago but now you are using them to comfort me."

"Well you see, I had an incredible woman to model after. Whose bravery and tough spirit taught me that I can overcome any obstacle life throws at me. Who always told me to find what I love and the rest will follow. Who has taken mistakes and turned them into lessons. Whose heart is as big as the universe but only to those you allow it to be. Who taught me to keep trying when you fail because eventually with the help of tough love, you'll pull yourself out of them."

"My god, Nicky. I.."

"You've taught me well is what you've done. Everything I know is because of you. All the bad habits I've kicked permanently is because of you and all the good habits I have is because of you. I've been given the perfect mother and I'm not going to leave you just because one person says I need to let you go."

"Thank you, my girl. You've given a grandson and now this is what I'm hearing from your heart? You've made me realize again how good you are to me. I think often if I deserve someone like you in my life and then when I realize the answer is no, I dismiss the thought for fear of chancing fate and losing you."

"You'll never lose me, Ma. I'm never letting you go."

"I must admit that makes me feel so much better."

"Well I feel better knowing that you know that." Nicky smiled although Red couldn't see it.

More silent moments passed as Nicky snuggled further into the warmth of her mother.

"Ok so, you need me and here I am. What is on your mind?"

"Oh, well Lorna doesn't understand that I don't want to be with anyone other than you for Christmas and all future holidays and occasions for that matter. But she has a family of her own, so it's been hard the past couple of weeks leading up to this."

"You've been fighting?" Red knew she could pry, Nicky was an open book when it came to her. Although Red would never take advantage of Nicky, if she didn't want to talk about ti then she would never push her.

"Only like cats and dogs." Nicky sounded troubled.

"Oh, I see."

"Ma, every time I try to fix it and calm her down she gets all worked up again and says 'why can't you just address the issue and not ask me to relax'. It's just hard to balance her family and you, well mine.

"if it's causing problems my girl, you don't need to spend every holiday with me. Lorna told me that you were supposed to tell me what was going to happen when you guys first got here. I would've been ok with that."

"No, you wouldn't." Nicky said simply, recognizing the same pain in her voice now as she heard when Red found out earlier this morning.

Nicky was right but Red wouldn't say it. She didn't need to, her daughter knew her.

"Maybe we can plan to have everyone together instead of worrying about splitting time?" Nicky suggested sounding hopeful.

"I suggested that to Lorna before she left. She didn't seem thrilled at the idea but maybe she just wasn't thinking about it. She was in such a hurry to rush out of here."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry? Why are you apologizing? Don't get me wrong, I love Lorna. I'm just grateful that you stayed, you're my little girl. If you went with her and left me, I..I…" Red started to choke up again at the thought and Nicky spun around in her mother's embrace and placed a finger to Red's lips.

"Stop." Nicky whispered in such a soothing and soft way. "Just stop. I am not going anywhere. I knew the entire time I was going to stay here with you which is why I never brought it up. 6 months for my felt like 6 years. And this is our first Christmas both of us being out of prison. I had and still have every intention of spending it with you, the one I love most in the world."

"Ok." Red said so quietly, tears coming down her cheeks.

"Why are you so worried about me leaving, Ma?" Nicky needed to get to the bottom of this.

"My sons…they left me. Went back to Russia with Dmitri. But that was a couple of years ago, I'm over them. They did me wrong. But I don't want another one of my children to leave me again. I can't bear the thought of not having you around…" Red reached her hands up and cupped Nicky's face, bringing her face forward and kissing her forehead.

"I'm not leaving you, Mommy."

"Yes, but look what I've done. A brand-new family, I've split apart because I want you with me." Red cried openly.

"No, Ma. You didn't, don't you dare think you did this. If I wanted I would've went with Lorna. Hey, look at me." Nicky grabbed Red's chin and brought her face up to meet her eyes. "I would've went with her if I wanted to. This was my choice, you did not split us up. Get that thought out of your mind right now, Ma."

"Ok." So soft Nicky barely heard it.

"Relax, it'll figure itself out."

"You're right, my girl."

"Just stay with me for a little while. You were right, I have missed this." Nicky curled back into her mother's warm arms and minutes later they both were sound asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It was Christmas eve and the tradition that they had started in prison years ago carried out here in the living room. In prison, they had a plant from the green house and paper ornaments that they clipped on using paper clips. But now, with a real Christmas tree and actual ornaments full of colors and designs, Nicky and Red were in heaven.

Nicky walked over to the tree and inhaled deeply. "Ahhh!" She sighed as she exhaled that beautiful holiday scent. "Something we didn't get from your plants, Ma."

"Those were good plants that I sacrificed for the good of the family. Appreciate that."

"Oh I do, believe me."

They continued to hang ornaments one by one.

"Did we get lights?" Nicky was looking around in boxes.

"They are in the box in the kitchen." Red called out as Nicky started to explore the house for the lights.

Nicky walked into the kitchen and almost gasped. This was probably something she was not meant to see yet. Lying on the kitchen table, was an ornament that had her name engraved in cursive and a message on an ornament shaped like a heart. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help herself. She began to read what the ornament said.

Nicky,

You mean the world to me and I love you more than that.

Your first Christmas at home deserves a good way to remember it.

Your first ornament.

Love, Mom

Nicky couldn't help the lone tear that escaped from her now closed eye lids. She was so grateful to have Red as a mother. All she felt was love for this woman and things like this made Nicky more and more comfortable with being with her for Christmas. Red too was her world.

"Nicky, did you find the lights?" Red called from the living room.

"Yes!" Nicky shouted back, grabbing the box on the table and heading back to the tree.

"What's wrong with you?" Red said immediately, taking a look at her daughter's red eyes.

"Nothing."

"I know you."

"Yeah, you do know me."

"So?" Red was now off of the step stool she was using to hang ornaments and put one hand on her hip, waiting for Nicky's response.

"To tell you the truth, Ma, I just got a little emotional about what we are doing here. You know, me and you, Christmas? That whole thing. We are like a real family you know? Nothing but love and happiness as corny as that sounds."

Red walked over to Nicky and took the box of lights from her hands and set it down on the couch. Red got real close to Nicky and then put her arms around her neck.

"I love you, little girl."

"I love you too." Nicky closed her eyes against her mother's shoulders and relaxed.

"Now," Red said, breaking the embrace and grabbing two ornaments, handing one to Nicky. "Help me with this."

"Do you want me to set the ones at the top?" Nicky offered.

"Yes, please. I can't stand reaching over every which way, it hurts my back." Red complained but sounded grateful.

After several ornaments being properly scattered on the tree it was time to put the star at the top.

"Does the ladder go up and further?" Red asked, looking for another spot to latch the step up once more.

"I got it. Will you just hand me the star?" Nicky reached a hand out being a little demanding but Red thought it was cute.

"Here." Red put the star in Nicky's out stretched hand then took a step back.

Nicky was standing on her tip toes, struggling to reach the top.

"Nicky, if you can't reach it, it is no big deal. We can have the tree without the star." Red suggested.

"If there is no star, how the fuck is Jesus suppose to find his way to Bethlehem?" Nicky demanded with her tongue sticking out of her mouth in concentration.

Red started to chuckle. "Sweetheart, that isn't how the story goes but I see your point."

"Whatever." Nicky mumbled a little frustrated that she couldn't get the star on top of the tree.

Nicky had an idea. She prepared to jump to reach it, she bent her knees when Red blurted out.

"What are you about to do? Not jump?"

"Watch and learn, Ma."

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Red's voice trailed off as Nicky, her rebellious wild child, jumped anyway and landed in the tree.

Red burst out laughing, a very hard laugh that came from deep inside your belly and made you cry. "Oh my god.." Red said between breaths of laughter.

"Ma, get me out of here?" Nicky demanded, clearly not happy.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" Red finally managed.

"No, just help me."

"Stick out your arm so I can pull you out."

The tree was so fluffy that Red couldn't see Nicky at all until an arm shot out of the side.

Red suppressed a chuckle and decided to play with her. "Stick out your other arm and I'll grab both."

Solely for Red's amusement she had this request, it wasn't necessary to pull her out by both arms. Red's efforts were rewarded when Nicky shot her other arm out and their Christmas tree looked like it had just grown two arms. The sight was hilarious and Red couldn't help but fall to the floor laughing.

"Stop laughing at me!" Nicky commanded but to no avail. "Help me!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Red got up off of the floor and grabbed Nicky's arm and began to pull. She was out in a second but with the force of Red's pulling, slammed into Red and they both ended up falling on the floor.

"I'm so glad I can make you laugh when I'm stuck in a tree." Nicky said this as sarcastically as ever but it only reminded Red of the image of their tree with arms and she got herself into a fit of laughter again.

After several minutes of Nicky picking the little green things from the tree off of her, she gave Red a menacing stare.

"I'm done, I swear." Red managed to stop laughing. She reached out her hand to Nicky's face in an attempt to move some hair that was stuck to her face, but it really was stuck.

"You're covered in sap." Red realized, looking Nicky up and down.

"I was just in a fucking tree, Ma. What the hell do you expect?"

This threatened another laughing fit but Red tried real hard to suppress it.

"Whatever, I'm going to take a shower." Nicky walked out of the living room and Red looked at the tree which was surprisingly still in tacked.

"Just missing the arms." Red smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Red went into the kitchen and saw something catch her eye on the table.

"Goddamn it." Red whispered, realizing Nicky had seen this and that's what must have got her crying. At least it had a heartfelt effect on her girl which all she wanted to ever do. She just wished she could have seen her face the moment she saw the ornament.

Interrupting her thoughts, was a soft knock on the door. Red's heart dropped at the thought of who it might be. If she opened the door and it was Lorna and her grandson, then she wouldn't be able to hold the tears back.

She walked over to the door and put her hand on the handle, she paused and tried to calm down. Hearing another little knock, she realized she couldn't wait any longer. She opened the door and looked at who was standing there.

She was not able to hold back the tears. And she thought her heart stopped when baby Nicky looked at her and smiled.

"Come here." Red reached out her hands and Lorna handed her the baby. "Oh, how I've missed you, my little one." She gave him a thousand little kisses on his small cheeks.

"What made you decide to come back?" Red asked, letting Lorna inside of the warm house.

"I needed Nicky. And so does he. It ain't right for him to be spending his first Christmas without her."

"I agree with you, thank you for coming back. She hasn't said it, but I know she must've been thinking the same thing. She'll be so happy to see you two." Red said, setting up baby Nicky in his bouncing chair in the living room.

"Oh look, he loves the lights. Don't touch those, love." Red gentle took his little hand in hers and moved his arm back down to his side.

She kept his little hand in hers for a moment.

"This is what it's about." She whispered, eyes tearing up and, as if he knew, he turned his face up towards hers at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Red, where is Nicky?" Lorna came into the living room.

"Oh, she's in the shower."

"Ok, well I'm going to talk to her. He needs a bottle in about 10 minutes, you'll give it to him?" Lorna asked.

"Yes, of course. He'll be just fine. Won't you, Nicky?" Red said making a silly face at him.

"I know he will be." Lorna whispered to quietly for Red to hear her as she walked to the bedroom where the bathroom was.

The door was closed and Lorna knocked.

"If you're here to laugh at me again then go away."

Lorna opened the door, "I won't laugh at you."

Nicky spun around from brushing her hair in the mirror real quick.

"Lorna!" Nicky practically ran to give her a hug but then stopped just in front of her, remembering what their last conversation was like a couple of days.

"I'm sorry for not going with you, I should've-" Nicky started.

"No, Nicky. I'm sorry for not staying with you. I'm also sorry for not letting you know that I got to my parents' house ok and I'm sorry for not returning your calls." Lorna confessed.

"I just wanted to make sure you and Nick were ok." Nicky looked to the floor.

"I know. And that's all you ever are doing. I should've made sure you were ok with not being with Red for Christmas and when I found out you weren't, I should've talked to you about it and made a plan to get everyone together rather than storming off with our son like I did."

"It means a lot to me when you say all that, baby." Nicky leaned in and pulled her almost wife close, kissing her in a way as if to prove her love for her. After a moment they broke apart.

"Where is the little guy?" Nicky asked, looking around.

"He's in the living room with Red." Lorna smiled.

"Oh good. She hasn't said anything, but I know she must've missed him like crazy."

Lorna smiled.

"What?" Nicky couldn't help but smile back.

"Red definitely is your mother, that's all." Lorna kissed Nicky. "Speaking of your mother, why would she be laughing at you still?"

"What?"

"When I knocked, you said something like 'if you're here to keep laughing at me' or something. What's that about?"

"Oh. Well, I fell into the tree." Nicky said, almost embarrassed.

Lorna giggled. "How'd you do that?"

"Trying to put the star up."

Lorna's giggle turned into a laugh.

"It's harder than it looks ok."

Her laughin conitued.

"Oh you want to laugh? I'll give you something to laugh about." Nicky grabbed Lorna and picked her up.

"No. Nicky, no. Stop." Lorna said through her laughs.

Nicky put her on the bed and got on top of her, pinning her down.

"You want to laugh Ms. Morello? How about now?" Nicky began tickling her.

"No, stop. Nicky!...Stop….no…" Lorna could no longer control the waves of laughter. Nicky's fingers tickled her everywhere. And not everyone knew it, but Lorna was especially sensitive on her left side just above her hip. Through other physical activities, Nicky had discovered that spot. Nicky went straight to it.

Nicky started to laugh the more Lorna laughed. When Nicky decided that Lorna had had enough, she stopped her tickling and they both slowly stopped laughing.

Nicky, still on top of her, stared into Lorna's eyes. Lorna stared back with mirrored love and passion. Nicky leaned down and kissed her. Their lips were connected for a long moment.

Nicky sat up again, "I missed you."

"I missed you more."

Nicky got up and held out a hand to help her up off the bed. "Come on, I want to see my son."

They walked down the hallway, hand in hand, and when they got to the living. The only lighting in the living room was a small lamp, the Christmas tree, and the fire roaring gin the fireplace.

Nicky looked around for Nick, and it took a second, but she spotted him. Nicky pointed.

Nicky's eyes watered. All that could be seen was the silhouette of her mother, fast sleep on the couch, holding her son, fast asleep in his grandmother's protective arms.

"This is what it's about." Nicky whispered to Lorna, who was standing beside her still. Lorna looked at her in awe, realizing just how connect she and Red really are.

"I'll sit on Ma's left, you on her right." Nicky instructed.

They walked over and sat in their places, snuggling up to Red.

Their movements woke Red up, as they feared that they might.

"I love you, Lorna." Red said, leaning slightly to her right to kiss Lorna on the forehead.

"I love you too."

Red leaned to her left, "I love you, Nicky." And she kissed her temple.

"I love you too, Mommy." Nicky, being the mama's girl that she is, snuggled into Red's side even more.

"This is the best Christmas ever, girls, I hope you know that." Red said, placing a soft kiss on her sleeping baby Nicky's head.

Nicky sighed in content. "And it's not even Christmas yet."


End file.
